Sony A1 Overheating
Aug 8, 2023 05:41:47 #
CJW
Loc: Massachusetts
I have seen some people complain about the A1 overheating. Is this a known issue? Is it production wide or do I need to have mine tended to?
I was shooting a revolutionary reenactment over the weekend and I could feel the camera getting hotter and hotter. And then the dreaded message camera has overheated. Allow internal camera to cool. Missed the great ending as I was waiting for it to cool.
It doesn't matter the battery - Sony or aftermarket. It doesn't matter if it is a hot day. I was shooting burst at the time but had not been very often. But in the half hour battle, yes I was shooting almost constantly.
I guess I need to know if this is just a quirk of this camera and is there a cure, other than carrying an ice pack :). Can it be corrected/repaired?
I was shooting a revolutionary reenactment over the weekend and I could feel the camera getting hotter and hotter. And then the dreaded message camera has overheated. Allow internal camera to cool. Missed the great ending as I was waiting for it to cool.
It doesn't matter the battery - Sony or aftermarket. It doesn't matter if it is a hot day. I was shooting burst at the time but had not been very often. But in the half hour battle, yes I was shooting almost constantly.
I guess I need to know if this is just a quirk of this camera and is there a cure, other than carrying an ice pack :). Can it be corrected/repaired?
Aug 8, 2023 05:57:51 #
CJW wrote:
I have seen some people complain about the A1 over... (show quote)
Not a quirk.
Sony has had overheating problems for a long time.
Other makes might get the headlines on the matter but that doesn't change reality for Sony.
Hybrid cameras have limits as they don't have active cooling systems like dedicated video cameras have.
This is something to be aware of and plan accordingly for.
I believe Burke on this site can explain better but you need active cooling and thus a Sony or other make with that feature.
Finally the heating can be delayed by pulling the rear screen out from the body for better cooling but it will still happen.
Aug 8, 2023 09:08:28 #
Wasn't that promoted as the perfect camera for shooting outdoors in the winter? 
I use camcorders for video. I can run them for two hours straight without problems.
I use camcorders for video. I can run them for two hours straight without problems.
Aug 8, 2023 10:43:47 #
CJW wrote:
I have seen some people complain about the A1 over... (show quote)
Were you shooting stills or video?
Aug 8, 2023 10:47:36 #
CJW
Loc: Massachusetts
I was shooting stills. Then did a series of burst. Back to stills. And tried a short video but it shut off.
Aug 8, 2023 10:58:21 #
Aug 8, 2023 11:00:05 #
Seems that I read in the owners manual or one of the after market books on the A1 about over heating. I have not had that problem with my A1. I always cary a backup when I do a special shoot. My back up is my a9, or a6500 and some times the RX10m4.
Aug 8, 2023 12:02:30 #
Not sure about the A1. On other Sony cameras it can help if you fold the screen away from the back of the camera allowing it to radiate more of the heat.
Aug 8, 2023 12:12:07 #
When you shot videos with the RX10M4 does this camera overheat if you are shooting for a long period of time?
Aug 8, 2023 12:32:19 #
Aug 8, 2023 13:38:08 #
jerryc41 wrote:
How about those heat sink pads they make for SSDs?
Those pads are very good at transferring heat to another object such as a heat sink - I guess you could attach a good sized finned heat sink to the camera base plate if you didn’t need to use a tripod. The best solution would be a solid state Peltier device attached to the baseplate with thermal paste or gap pads, but you’d need a battery pack to run it.
Aug 8, 2023 13:52:02 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Wasn't that promoted as the perfect camera for shooting outdoors in the winter?
I use camcorders for video. I can run them for two hours straight without problems.
I use camcorders for video. I can run them for two hours straight without problems.
I can shoot my Z9 for two hours straight with no problem. I did recently, outside on a 90° day.
Aug 8, 2023 14:24:51 #
I had a problem for the first time on my a99ii when I was at the Great Pyramid in early June. It was the first time I've ever seen the thermometer symbol in the viewfinder and had started (don't recall when) to lock up and give me a "Camera Error, Turn off camera and turn back on." message, but the only way I could clear it was to remove the battery. Later in the trip, my phone told me it was too hot and I had to turn it off. Now my phone is fine, but my camera is in NJ (has been for about a month). Not sure if one thing (heat) had to do with the other (malfunction) but I'm on the hook for $830 for a new mirror box and mother board! It's a lot cheaper than a new a1, though.
Aug 8, 2023 16:45:41 #
CJW
Loc: Massachusetts
Yikes. Fortunately this camera has one month left on warranty. I think I'm sending it in. They will either tell me something is wrong and hopefully fix it or send it back. My concern is what damage has happened to the other components.
Aug 8, 2023 17:16:46 #
On the positive side, I'll have a practically new camera, internally anyways, for about 1/3 of what I bought it for used from B&H and I won't have to buy any new lenses or get an adapter (if I bought a new mirrorless). Besides, a non-functioning DSLT wouldn't get much on e-bay, probably couldn't trade it in, and I can still enjoy it for (hopefully) a long time.
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